Top pitching prospect could raise Tigers' high ceiling

As the Tigers build on last year's run to the American League Divisional Series, unheralded pitching prospect Jackson Jobe could play a pivotal role.

On Saturday, Detroit sent starting pitcher Keider Montero down to Triple-A, paving the way for Jobe to begin the season as a member of the Tigers' five-man starting pitcher rotation.

Last season, the Tigers snapped a nine-year playoff drought and defeated the perennial AL powerhouse Astros in the wild-card round, ending Houston's streak of seven consecutive ALCS appearances.

Detroit lost to the division-rival Guardians in the best-of-five ALDS, 3-2.

Per Baseball Reference, the Tigers have the highest odds (41 percent) of winning the AL Central this season. They’re led at the top of the starting rotation by 2024 Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. 

Last season, Skubal led the AL with a 2.39 earned run average (ERA) and allowed 142 hits and struck out an MLB-high 228 batters in 192 innings.

He’s joined in the starting rotation by Jack Flaherty, Reese Olson and Casey Mize, who was also named a starter on Saturday. He returned from Tommy John surgery last season, and MLB.com’s Jason Beck noted, “Mize used his first healthy offseason in three years to rework his arsenal.”

Flaherty is entering his first full season with the Tigers after being acquired from the Dodgers at last year’s trade deadline. In 18 starts for Detroit a year ago, Flaherty posted a 2.95 ERA with 133 strikeouts in 106.2 innings.

Olson had a 3.53 ERA in 22 starts after making his MLB debut in June 2023.

Jobe is MLB Pipeline’s No. 2 pitching prospect and No. 5 overall, per MLB.com. This spring, Jobe has four starts and a 3.65 ERA.

During the offseason, the Tigers re-signed Flaherty on a two-year, $35 million contract. They also added starting pitcher Alex Cobb, who missed spring training with right hip inflammation, on a one-year, $15 million deal. Detroit also added former longtime Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres (2018-24) on a one-year, $15 million contract.

The Tigers pitching staff should already be among the league’s best with Skubal, Flaherty and a healthy Cobb. If Jobe lives up to his potential, the sky will be the limit.